"Our involvement in the war was justifiable, and this belongs to our sovereign rights," North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said. "I regard this as part of the sacred mission we must execute for our brothers and comrades-in-arms."
"We have a plan B and a plan C. But our focus is plan A, the essence of which is to get everyone's support" for Ukraine's accession, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
"(T)he presence at the Victory Parade of a country that bombs cities, hospitals, and daycares, and which has caused the deaths and injuries of over a million people over three years, is a shame," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
"According to the participants of the performances, their goal is to remind the civilized world of the barbaric actions of Moscow, which for many years and decades has systematically violated international law," a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent.
"I have great hope that an agreement for a ceasefire in Ukraine will be reached this weekend," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 9, shortly before traveling to Kyiv alongside the leaders of France, Poland, and the U.K.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will arrive in Kyiv early on May 10.
The United States embassy in Kyiv on May 9 issued a warning that Russia could launch "a potentially significant" attack in the coming days, despite Putin's self-declared Victory Day "truce."
The sanctioned oil tankers have transported over $24 billion in cargo since 2024, according to Downing Street. The U.K. has now sanctioned more shadow fleet vessels than any other country.
Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk speaks during a press conference after a government meeting in Warsaw, Poland, on Jan. 3, 2024. (Foto Olimpik/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Poland has assumed its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union on Jan. 1.
Poland takes over the presidency from Hungary, one of Russia's closest allies in Europe, which has repeatedly blocked EU aid to Ukraine. Hungarian presidency was boycotted in protest of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's foreign policy, which is at odds with the EU.
"This presidency will be groundbreaking in many ways. It begins during a challenging time marked by conflicts, and our task will be to convince all 27 EU member states that Europe can continue to be the safest, most stable place on Earth," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, adding that security will be "a top priority" during the upcoming six months.
Tusk said that Warsaw would continue to aid Kyiv, adding that the EU must also strive to strengthen its borders and counter the instrumentalization of migration.
"We will do everything to ensure that Europe's security is a reality, not just an aspiration. I hope Poland will lead efforts that result in peace," Tusk said.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X that Ukraine relies on "Polish leadership, principled stance, and determination." Sybiha expressed hope for new initiatives to provide military assistance to Ukraine and for a swift EU accession process.
"We aim for a dynamic process of Ukraine's EU accession, including the opening of Cluster 1 and other clusters based on the results of the screening process," the minister added.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky previously said that the 2025 presidency of Poland and Denmark, some of Ukraine's staunchest supporters, will be "historic for Ukraine."
Zelensky added that in 2025, Ukraine would do its best in EU access negotiations and the development of relations with EU partners. The president also hopes that in 2025, Ukraine will open at least two clusters in the EU accession talks.
Two EU accession clusters for Ukraine are expected to open during the first half of 2025 under Poland's presidency of the EU Council, a high-ranking EU official told the Kyiv Independent on Dec. 18.
The EU's Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, said that Ukraine could potentially join the bloc by 2029 if it successfully implements necessary reforms.
Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in June 2022, with the European Council approving the launch of accession talks in December 2023.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
